The Twelve Kisses of Christmas
by the doctor's next dance
Summary: Ok, I'm not quite sure as to when the 12 days of Christmas are, but let's say they start 12 days before Christmas Day, ok? So: 12 days, 1 Doctor, 1 Rose 12 kisses! Lots of Xmassy fluff! DoctorRose, as if you haven't guessed
1. 1st day: Homewards we go!

**The Twelve Kisses of Christmas**

**The first day: Homewards we go!**

**A/N** Ok, I'm not quite sure that the twelve days of Christmas are the twelve before it, but I'm pretending that they are anyway. I came up with the idea for this fic when I joined and I've been waiting to write it since as I think it's a pretty good idea, if I do say so myself, so here's the deal: 12 days, 1 Doctor, 1 Rose, 12 kisses! Hehee! So, anyway, I'll just go and check when exactly the 12 days of Christmas are, and you read this! Thank you xx

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"Please?"

"No!"

"Oh, come on!"

"No! Absolutely not! I refuse to go within 100 light years of your mother's cooking!"

Rose bit back a grin, pretending to be hurt by the Doctor's words. She batted her eyelashes, opened her brown eyes wide and leant against the console, putting on her most innocent expression.

On the opposite side of the console from her, the Doctor leant back against the rail and folded his arms across chest, refusing to budge from his decision.

For a few moments the two remained staring at each other, before the Doctor's mouth started to twitch, and finally he sighed, unfolding his arms.

"Alright. Seeing as you seem to be spurning my offer of Christmas on the most beautiful planet in the universe, we'll go home to your mother's."

She smiled at him and hurried over to give him a hug. The Doctor grinned and pulling away from her, set the coordinates for the Powell Estate. As he saw her shining face, he realised there really was nothing he could deny her.

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"You're here!" In a blur of blonde hair, denim jacket and tracksuit trousers, Jackie pulled her daughter into the flat and seized the Doctor in a fierce hug. As the Doctor worried for his ribcage, Rose laughed at the two. When Jackie finally released him, the Doctor hastily retreated to the kitchen.

"I never thought you'd be back for Christmas. I thought he'd have you off on some other mad adventure!"

Rose laughed. "_He_ has a name."

Jackie shrugged as she took the bag Rose was carrying from her and heaved it into Rose's old room. She dumped it on the bed and returned into the lounge. "I take it you'll be sleeping here, then?"

"Well, Rose can, but I – " The Doctor appeared in the doorway, a jar of marmalade open under his arm and a digestive biscuit smeared with the orange jelly half way on it's route to his mouth.

" – will be on the sofa." Rose finished for him, deciding that if he was going to spend Christmas with them, he may as well do it properly.

The Doctor choked on his biscuit, coughing away in shock. Rose thumped his back for him as Jackie beamed and bustled off to make some tea.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Rose admonished, as soon as the Doctor stopped coughing and opened his mouth to speak.

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Later on that evening, the two sat on the roof of the flat, swinging their legs. The Doctor was still sulking about having to spend Christmas on a sofa in Jackie's flat, but when Rose started shivering in the cold night air, he shrugged off his coat and put it around her shoulders. Drawing it closer, she leant against his shoulder.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She asked him, looking down on London.

The Doctor looked around him. Cars and buses rushed to and fro, their lights blurring in the city streets, the London eye stood out, illuminated on the horizon, voices of out of tune carol singers drifted on the breeze and the moon bathed in the heavy blue blanket that was the heavens. It was not as magnificent as Venus, or as spectacular as the Starburst Nebula, but he had to agree that there was something rather beautiful about the terribly human landscape.

"It's Earth." He whispered, putting an arm around her.

"It's home." She smiled, "As is that little blue box." She gestured to the Tardis standing aloof in its favourite spot. She sighed happily, and tucked her head under his chin.

"Thank you, Doctor." She murmured.

"Ah well. What's Christmas without friends and family, eh?"

She smiled and thought for a moment, before retracting her head and softly kissing him on the cheek. Then she slipped off her perch and disappeared downstairs, back towards the flat, pulling the Doctor's coat around her as she went. The Doctor sat in shock for a little while, before he slowly put a hand to where she had kissed him and gave a little smile. Standing up, he dug his hands deep into his jacket pockets and followed Rose back inside, absentmindedly whistling "Good King Wenceslas" as he walked.

**A/N** Right, I just checked on Wikipedia, and the twelve days of Christmas are the twelve after Christmas Day. Ah. Oh well, I don't care, it's better this way, then there's something to build up to: Christmas Day! So, yeah. So what, I know nothing about the Christmas Calendar? Review!! Please!!!


	2. 2nd day: O Christmas tree

**The second day: O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree**

**A/N** Well, thank you to all my reviewers – I'm really glad you liked it! Sorry I couldn't update yesterday, but I finished school and went out with my friends – it was a bit manic! Anyway, double update today if I can do it, so here's the second day. Btw, if anyone's got any ideas for a setting or plot line for a day, please let me know – I need one or two more! Thank you! xx

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"Hmm. I dunno, it's a bit small. What about that one?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes exasperatedly as he trudged after Jackie, an axe swung over his shoulder. Jackie had decided that she wanted a real Christmas tree that year, and somehow he had got landed with the task of accompanying her on her quest to find the perfect tree.

So, the Doctor found himself in a little field outside London, owned by a grubby little man who charged ridiculously high prices for ridiculously crumby little trees. It was freezing, dark and wet, and as he had refused to put on the stupidly bright multicoloured scarf Rose had found in the Tardis, he was getting a cold. As he sneezed for the umpteenth time and stamped his feet on the frosty ground, he knew why he hated domestics. Finally, Jackie decided that she wanted the very first tree she had seen, and so, grinding his teeth, the Doctor had followed her back to the little fir tree they had seen upon arriving, and with short, violent strokes, the Doctor vented his anger on the tree, cutting it to the ground in record time. Then he manhandled it into the Tardis and smiling with a vengeance at the little man, pulled Jackie into the blue box and set off for the Powell Estate, watching the man's face with glee as they disappeared from sight.

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"You took your time" Rose commented, upon opening the door and seeing a pleased Jackie and a furious Doctor. The Doctor gave her a welcoming sneeze, and they pushed in the tree, Jackie fussing about getting it crushed on the sides and the Doctor's mood becoming blacker by the second. Finally it got in the flat and Jackie set about positioning it in the right place.

The Doctor turned round to Rose. "That is the last time I go shopping with your mother ever again. I could have read the Bible in the time it took her to choose one. And now I've got a cold" he pestered, in a boyish voice.

"Aw..." Rose smoothed his hair and put on a motherly voice. "Did my little Doctor get a nasty cold from going out in the dark with no scarf?"

He frowned at her. "There was no way I was wearing that thing. I have bad memories of that scarf." He shook himself, before sneezing again.

"Bless you." She said. "Now come on, off to bed, get a good night's sleep and you'll be right as rain in the morning."

"No I will not." He petulantly proclaimed, as Rose went into the bathroom and returned with a large bottle of medicine. She waved a spoon at him, before ordering him to sit down on the sofa. The Doctor obeyed, opened his mouth and took his medicine like a good boy.

"That's better." She patted his head, winking at him. She put the bottle on the side table and went off in search of blankets, ordering him to go and get changed in her room, waving away his protests that he had nothing to change into. Worrying that she had something planned, he went into her room, and noticed happily that a pair of clean pyjamas was laid out on the bed for him.

"Good old Howard." He beamed, as he changed into the blue striped pyjamas. He shrugged on the dressing gown and went back into the lounge. Jackie had now finished adjusting the tree and looked up in surprise at him as he walked into the lounge, ready for bed.

"What are you doing?" She asked, shuffling around on her knees.

"Thanks to you and your quest, dear Jackie, I have got a very bad cold, and will probably get pneumonia now, and die."

She sniffed and went back to fussing over the tree.

Huffing he looked around for Rose, who was laying some blankets on the sofa.

"See. Nobody cares whether I live or die." He clambered into the makeshift bed as Rose lifted up the covers for him. "I might as well curl up in a ball and –"

He sneezed again, this time accompanied by some Gallifreyan expletives that the Tardis didn't seem to think to be fit for Rose's ears.

"Language!" She waved her finger at him, and pulled the blankets up around him, grinning. "Night Doctor. Sleep well."

On the impulse of the moment, and suddenly overcome with love for her, the Doctor reached up towards her, as she moved her head away from him. He ended up kissing her ear, and got half a mouthful of blonde strands for his troubles, but he didn't mind. Rose blushed and gave him a bashful smile. She fiddled with the edge of the covers for a while, before muttering a rushed "Night" to her Mum, giving her a kiss on the cheek, and hurrying off to her room and closing the door.

When the door closed on her, Jackie turned round to him. "Well, about time too. Poor girl, making her think you loved her and then going and changing your face. She's been through a lot for you, you know."

The Doctor snuggled down into his bed, beaming. "I know, Jackie. I know."

It looked like it was going to be a rather good Christmas after all.

**A/N **REVIEW PLEASE!


	3. 3rd day:Bring me food and bring me wine!

**The third day: Bring me food and bring me wine!**

**A/N** Thank you to all my reviewers, I'm so sorry I'm behind already, but I fully intend to catch up today. If I don't, I definitely will tomorrow – I'm home! So, here's the third day, and in case any of you were wondering where today's chapter name (line from a carol, if you haven't noticed – I'm trying to find one that applies to each chapter) is from, it's from Good King Wenceslas!

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"Put those boxes there, Rose. And you, make yourself useful – go and put those banners up."

The Doctor grumbled, setting down the trays of cakes he was carrying on a counter, and ambling off to a pile of paper banners strewn on a table. Rose and he had been slightly amazed when they had heard Jackie had joined the local WI, ("Well what do you suppose me to do what with you two off gallivanting round the universe? Sit home and knit?") and even more amazed when she announced that it was the Christmas bazaar that day, and that they would be helping. So, the two dutifully followed Jackie to the WI hall, and helped out with the setting up of the fair.

The Doctor pinned the banners up with some pins he found in a corner. Jackie's voice reached him from the kitchen where she was directing Rose as to where to put the boxes she had carried in, as well as setting out the cakes and carrying on a conversation with Suzanne. "So I said to her **_not there Rose, over by the Christmas tree_** that if she really wanted to stay with Mike she'd have to _**well get everything out then**…."_

The Doctor shook his head, pinning the last banner up. "Mad." He muttered.

They worked for about half an hour before the first people arrived. The Doctor and Rose snuck away into the kitchen and hid in there for a bit, scoffing biscuits and cakes, watching the people milling about in the hall through the window of the door into the hall, the Doctor making Rose giggle as he imitated her mother, waving her arms around and trying to organise everyone at once. Suddenly another shrill voice joined Jackie's and Jackie shrieked with surprise.

"Bev!" They heard her shriek and watched her hug the woman who had just arrived, hair flying everywhere.

The Doctor turned round to Rose, brow furrowed in thought, as he leant against the door. "Isn't that the woman who was at Sarah Clarke's wedding back in 1987 when – "

He was cut off by being thrown off balance, when the door burst open, making him nearly fall out into the hall and Jackie appeared in the entrance. "Here you are – Bev's here Rose!"

Jackie grabbed Rose and she grasped the Doctor's hand to pull him along as Jackie dragged her out of the kitchen and into the hall.

"Here she is, Bev." Jackie announced.

"Umm...hello Bev." Rose said, smiling slightly and trying to sort out her hair that Jackie had just completely messed up.

"So this must be John Smith." Bev smiled, turning to the Doctor.

He gaped like a fish for a few moments before running a hand through his hair and putting his hand forwards. "Yes, um.., that's me."

Bev looked at him, her eyes narrowing in concentration. "You seem somewhat familiar… Not the way you look, just something about you. Have we met before?"

"Us? No! Definitely not! Must be someone else. Lots of people called John Smith, you know."

"Yes." She nodded slowly, before brightening and turning to Rose again. "Jackie's told me about your news. Congratulations!" She bent in and gave Rose a quick kiss on the cheek, Rose standing frozen and looking clueless at her mother. Jackie quickly intervened when Bev stepped away from Rose.

"Yes, Rose, I had to tell her, I'm sorry I couldn't let you do that yourself, but I was so excited. I told them all about John and your whirlwind romance, and that was why you were off travelling with him for so long. Bev's heard about your engagement too, I know it was supposed to be a surprise, but I had to tell her the story about it and how that's why you've come back from your travels!"

The Doctor and Rose gawped at her.

"Um...er…"

"I think it's such a romantic story Rose – how you and John met the night before he had to leave for Africa, due to his career in the army. I hear you're a doctor, John."

"Um, yeah.." The Doctor replied, slightly in a daze. At least Jackie had got one thing right.

"And of course that's why we haven't seen you for so long Rose, having to travel off with him to stay with him. When are you having the wedding, Rose?"

"Um…"

"Spring." Jackie burst in. "When all the flowers are starting to bloom."

"Oh, that sounds lovely." Bev smiled at Rose. "You must be very much in love."

The Doctor and Rose looked at each other. "Um…" Rose said slowly.

The Doctor suddenly put an arm around her and turned to look at Bev. "We certainly are." Then, he suddenly crushed Rose to him, turning her in his arms and giving her a firm kiss on the mouth. He broke away and beamed at Jackie and Bev, who was smiling happily. He looked down at Rose, who was biting her lip, and blushing furiously. He grinned at her and she smiled back, her eyes wide and shining.

"Now," he announced. "Who's up for some mulled wine?"

**A/N** Haha, I had to bring her back from the first series! So, what did you think?


	4. 4th day: God rest ye merry gentlemen

**The fourth day: God rest ye merry gentlemen**

**A/N** Ha! I told you I would catch up! Here's day 4 – a little short, but sweet (I hope). xx

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You would have thought the Doctor would have learnt his lesson about obeying women. Within the last two days alone, he had obeyed a woman's orders twice and had consequently doomed himself and drawn him close to suicide every time.

The Doctor was not one of those men who learnt his lesson. His excuse was short term memory loss.

Thus, he found himself in town, struggling around like a blind creature, unable to see due to the piles of bags he held in his arms. Rose had decided to go Christmas shopping, and the Doctor had to come along as her pack horse. They had been round Tesco, Asda, HMV, Virgin, WH SMITHS, Waterstones, M & S, and every other conceivable shop. The Doctor's feet ached, his head throbbed, his ears pained, his back strained, his eyes were tired and he couldn't feel his fingers. He carried CDs, party hats, crackers, a turkey, several pieces of jewellery, decorations, dancing snowmen and to top it all, Rose had made him wear that ridiculous scarf this time, telling him before they set off that she didn't want him to get ill again. Now, as he tottered around despairingly, he thought that death by pneumonia would be a very agreeable option.

Finally, when Rose announced that she thought she was done, the Doctor thought the heavens had opened before him. He dropped everything he had carefully balanced in his arms, and seized her in a fiery kiss of gratitude (and perhaps a little of something else...).

And so it came to pass, that when the two returned on Jackie's doorstep some time later, they were both beaming away and positively glowing.

"What _have_ you been doing?" Jackie asked them.

The Doctor and Rose could only smile.

**A/N** Mwahaha – review please, oh lovely people! xx


	5. 5th day: When we finally kiss goodnight

**The fifth day: When we finally kiss goodnight, how I'll hate going out in the storm!**

**A/N **Just a bit of a drabble today – I hope you like it, I know you've been enjoying the last few chapters a lot! Xx

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Rose and the Doctor spent the fifth day decorating the flat with the things they'd bought yesterday, and what Jackie had produced out of a dusty box that morning. The flat came to life with lights, streamers, paper chains, and the dancing snowmen they'd bought yesterday sitting on top of the cupboard in the corner. They decorated the tree; Rose perched on top of a step ladder and the Doctor holding it carefully so she didn't fall. The Doctor spent a rather wonderful hour watching parts of Rose he didn't normally spend hours looking at as he stood behind her, thinking of how much he really did like Christmas.

When the tree was covered with multicoloured lights and baubles and as Rose stepped down, the flat looked almost complete. Suddenly however, there was a crash as the lights on the tree blew. Jackie came bustling in, and they all decided that someone would have to go out and get another set. They held a vote as to who should go, and it wasn't long before the Doctor, finding himself outnumbered, put on his coat and, his jaw clenched, turned round to the door, grimacing as he thought of the gusts of wind, cold night air and walk spent dodging icy patches that awaited him. He was given a sprig of mistletoe to fix by the door before he went out, whilst Rose went off to make him some tea to warm him up before he went. She soon returned carrying a mug for him, and she stood on one side of the mistletoe waiting for him to finish. However, she was soon obliged to put down the mug quickly as when the Doctor finished what he was doing, he swept her into his arms and kissed her.

Well, he reasoned, looking up at the plant above him, it would have been rude not to.

**A/N **Review please! xx


	6. 6th day: Love and joy come to you

**The sixth day: Love and joy come to you, and to you your wassail too!**

**A/N **Right, I hope this is a bit longer – I'm busy writing a 50,000 word story at the moment. Each of my friends are doing one, and it's a bit mad, as we have to finish it by then end of December, and I'm only on 12,000 words! Hope you like xx ;D

NB A wassail is a drink. And alcoholic drink……

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"Ding dong merrily on high!"

Jackie shook her head as she walked past the kitchen, hearing the deep voice singing, and a higher one joining in every now and then, amidst giggles and laughs. The odd crash punctuated the musical concert, and Jackie was trying hard not to think about the fragile china milk jug she had inherited on her great aunt's death.

The Doctor and Rose stood in the kitchen, wearing aprons, and covered in pastry and flour. The white powder was dusted all over the Doctor's brown hair, making him look like a frosted Christmas cake. They had taken over the kitchen early that afternoon, intent on making mince pies and mulled wine. A tray of cakes sat in the oven cooking and another pile lay half finished on the table, Rose busy rolling out the pastry on the table as she sang.

The Doctor was standing next to her, busy faffing around with a huge pot full of a red liquid, which he kept trying at intervals, and giving Rose a huge spoonful of every now and then, just to make sure it still tasted alright. It seemed that rather more of the liquid was being drunk rather than left alone in the pot, and that may account for the redness of Rose's cheeks, and the loudness of the Doctor's singing. He waved a spoon around as he got to a particularly deep part of the carol he was singing, making Rose laugh as his eyebrows went up and nearly disappeared into his hair. When he finished, he promptly began singing "Away in a manger" in a robust voice, not at all suitable for the gentle song.

Jackie was on the phone when the next crash happened. She excused herself for a moment as she poked her head round the door and saw Rose collapsed in a fit of giggles in a heap on a chair, whilst the Doctor was busy waving his arms around as if conducting an orchestra. He was banging a pan with a wooden spoon in time to the song playing on the radio. She turned the radio down, ducking out of the way of the Doctor's arms, and shouting at him to stop banging the pan so loudly, slipped out of the room.

When Jackie left, the Doctor poked his tongue out at her, making Rose laugh even more. She reached for the ladle on the table and took another huge mouthful of the mulled wine. She was just putting it in for another ladleful, when a hand appeared on hers and she turned around to the Doctor, who was holding her hand firmly, a finger held out to her as if telling her off, and a serious expression on his face.

"Now, Rose, I think you've had quite enough of that."

"Well, I don't think I have." She announced, and took another ladleful. "And neither have you!" She cried, and gave him some too. He licked his licks appreciatively, and suddenly grasped Rose in his arms, twisted her around and threw her back, as if in a dance, holding on to her. She dropped the ladle and looked up at him, unaware of what he was going to do next. He bent down and passionately kissed her and Rose soon brought her hands up and tangled them in his hair.

Outside, Jackie heard the clang as the ladle dropped to the floor, and went back in. Seeing the two otherwise engaged, she shook her head again, and deftly removed the pan of mulled wine from the room, eying the last few dregs of liquid left in the bottom. "That's the last time I let you two anywhere near my kitchen." She muttered, edging around the couple still busy kissing and leaving the bombsite of a room.

**A/N** Hehe…. Review please!


	7. 7th day: Frosty wind made moan

**The seventh day: Frosty wind made moan**

**A/N **Part seven already, gosh this is going fast!

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By the seventh day, Rose was getting the hang of it.

She and the Doctor had spent a large proportion of the day sat at the kitchen table, writing the last few Christmas cards for Jackie. The radio was off; when Jackie turned it on earlier, they had both clutched their heads and groaned so that she had taken pity on them and turned it off. Rose wrote the insides of the cards, a customary "Dear Helen and Mark, Happy Christmas, Love Jackie and Rose." She had even put the Doctor's name on the cards to the few people Jackie had told the whole "doctor in the army" story to, and when the Doctor had seen this, he had sniffed and looked back down, but Rose had seen the little smile in the corner of his mouth.

The Doctor, on the other hand, was being most unhelpful. He had started the task happily writing the envelopes, sticking the stamps on (he really was obsessed with licking things – he could have bought the already sticky ones, but oh no…), taking the card from Rose, and putting it in the envelope. For the first couple of cards he was fine, but then he started sighing and looking out of the window, and no amount of Rose's protests and persuasion could bring back his earnestness with which he had begun the task. Now he sat swinging on his chair, a pile of already written cards and unaddressed envelopes by his elbow, and a stamp stuck proudly on his nose. In the end, Rose started addressing the envelopes as well, leaving him to his own devices.

Later on, they set off down to the post box to post them. This proved to be an adventure in itself. The cold afternoon air was swirling around them, moaning in their ears, a mist rumbled around them, and they couldn't find the post box. Rose insisted that it must have been moved since she had last been at home, it _definitely _had been by that wall before she'd left with the Doctor. The Doctor just shook his head and raised his eyes to the grey sky, tutting at human's inability to ever admit they were wrong.

And so, the two walked around in the cold for half an hour or so, going in circles, the mist was so thick. It was the Doctor who found the post box in the end. They had been walking along a road that Rose had been unable to recognise through the thick mist, and she had been chattering to the Doctor about something or other, when she turned to him and noticed he had suddenly vanished. Looking around and thinking that that was a bit rude, she always listened to him when he went off on his mad rants, and yet he seemed to have bolted when she was going a little off the track, she heard a groan and looked down. The Doctor was flat on his back, clutching his knee. It appeared he had slipped on the frosty ground, but as the Doctor groaned louder, attempting to get Rose's attention and already anticipating the hug and kiss she would surely give him when she saw his bad knee, he was quite surprised when she gasped and stood over him, and ran her hands over the red post box in the wall. She turned to him and exclaimed "We found it!" She quickly posted the letters and turned around to him. He was looking up at her with a petulant expression on his face, hurt that he had been neglected in his time of need. However, he needn't have worried, as Rose soon bent down and kissed his knee, saying "That'll make it better."

"It hurts here too," he tried innocently, pointing to his mouth, but Rose just laughed and pushed him back down again, before lending a hand and pulling him to his feet.

Grouchily, he stuck his hands in his coat and stalked off, pretending to be in a mood, but when a few seconds later he heard feet behind him and felt the soft pressure of a warm little hand sneak into his coat pocket and entwine it's fingers with his, he smiled down at her and she rested her head on his shoulder. Perhaps he would bite his lip that night and claim that as a valid excuse for a kiss, he thought, as the wind moaned around the happy couple.

**A/N **Dear old Doctor, he'll do anything for a bit of love, won't he?!


	8. 8th day: The bells in heaven are singing

**The eighth day: The bells in heaven are singing**

**A/N** Right, this is basically a huge apology – I really wanted to do one a day until Christmas, but I've been writing a 50,000 word story that I had to finish by the end of December (shall be posted soon), and then I went to Cardiff… It's been very busy! Anyway, now I've finished the story, and I can get back on track with this…. of some sorts! So, I shall try and post as regularly as I can, before the whole Christmas spirit dies and this becomes wrong for the season! Sorry for the not very imaginative title, but I can't think of anything else!

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On the eighth day of Christmas, the Doctor thought that he really should start buying his presents now, as he didn't actually have that much longer to go till the dreaded day. As he called out to Rose and Jackie that he was just popping out for a bit, and shrugged on his coat, he put a hand into his pocket to see how much money he had got. It was then that he realised he was skint. Ah.

So it was, that some time later, the Doctor and Rose were trudging around the Powell Estate and surrounding area, wrapped up in coats, scarves, hats and gloves, and carrying a big thick volume of "101 Christmas Songs both old and new".

"I hate carol singing." The Doctor muttered, as they rang the first doorbell. "Too domestic."

"Well, how else do you expect to get money?" Rose said, opening the book. "Now come on, you can sing the backing track bit, I'll sing the main tune…."

When they finished singing "Santa Baby", the Doctor's mood lightened when they were given a fresh five pound note, from a young man. Suspecting that his generosity might have something to do with the fact that he was staring at Rose so brazenly, the Doctor quickly dragged her off. They weren't that bad singers, and so they made a fair bit of money from the people on Rose's floor alone, despite the Doctor's awful rendition of "Do they know it's Christmas time" and his demonstration of how to use an air guitar to a bemused four year old, who put the lollipop he was sucking into Rose and the Doctor's bucket when they had finished singing (or rather in the Doctor's case, screeching), and then closed the door on them. It was later, whilst on the ground floor, that they met their match and mortal enemies: another group of carol singers. They were wearing matching black jackets with white badges on them proclaiming that they were the St John's Senior Chamber Choir. The Doctor and Rise watched stunned, as they knocked politely on a door and sang "Once in Royal David's City" with clear, angel-like voices. The elderly couple who lived in the flat were very pleased with the choir, and the basket they were carrying made a loud clinking noise when they gave them their reward. "Bless you," they heard one boy say, "This will go towards a new shelter for the homeless we're building." When the choir left, the Doctor and Rose approached, glaring at the choir as they walked past them - the Doctor could almost hear the cowboy music. The elderly couple were not so happy when they saw yet another lot of carol singers at their door, and their mood grew worse when the Doctor started to sing "I wish it could be Christmas every day". The two left the couple with a twenty pence piece to add to their bucket, and Rose had to restrain the Doctor from making a rude sign at the couple once they had turned their backs and were closing the door.

The Doctor left Rose on their way back to Jackie's flat to have a look in the corner shop. He hadn't told Rose why he wanted money; she thought that it was just because he was skint. As he went into the dimly lit shop, his precious bucket tinkling as he closed the door, he looked around a little worried. What could he get for Rose? And Jackie – he had forgotten about her. He should get her something for letting them stay at the flat. Oh yeah, and Mickey. The Doctor groaned, looking at his pitiful amount of money, already much depleted as Rose had taken her half before she had gone on up. This was why he didn't like domestics, he thought, as he scanned the shop shelves. Well, there was a box of dairy milk up there that would do for Jackie. Mickey would like that book on computers, sitting on that shelf at the top. But Rose…………. What would she like? The Doctor looked around the shop in vain, before finally deciding that there was nothing special enough for Rose in there. Paying for his goods, he trundled off to the Powell Estate, passing the Tardis as he went. Suddenly he stopped, and looked back at it. Grinning, he fished out his key, and went in, rooted around in his ship for a while, and then came out, whistling happily. "Brillant…" he murmured to himself, as he ran up the stairs. "And free."

When Rose opened the door on him, he was positively shining with happiness. "What happened to make you to happy?" She asked him, finding his glee contagious as she started to smile too.

"Nothing, nothing." He waved the situation away with a carefree hand, before grinning at her again.

"What've you got in there?" Rose asked, eyeing his bag.

"Oh, presents."

Rose grinned, the tip of her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth in that endearing way the Doctor loved. "Aw, bless. See, I knew we could domesticate you eventually." She reached up on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek before leading the way into the flat, looking over her shoulder at him with a coy look. Closing the door and taking off his coat, the Doctor decided that they needed to have a talk sometime soon. Flirting was flirting, but kissing was a different matter entirely. He wanted to know if there were any serious feelings involved on her side, because heaven knows there were on his. Nearly strangling himself as he took off his scarf, the Doctor frowned as he looked down at his bucket. "Hey, Rose!" He called out, kicking off his shoes. "Rose, some cheapskate gave us a button!"

**A/N** Like? Not like? Only one way to let me know, and shoot me down if needs be…

PS Does anyone know how to request a new category? Torchwood really needs it's own on here, and I can't find out how to do it. FAQ doesn't work either. Grr…


	9. 9th day: Here we go a pantomiming!

**The ninth day: Here we go a pantomiming!**

**A/N** Ok, ok, the title's not from a Christmas song but I can't find one that relates to this chapter! First of all, I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to update this story. I wrote half of this ages ago but then my computer crashed and so I had to write it all again, which really was annoying…. I've also been beat-ing my long story I did over Christmas, so life's been very busy. Anyway, I intend to work on this story alone now until I finish it, sometime very soon! This chapter was inspired by my own visit to the pantomime – with the same person in it as the Doctor and Rose see….

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On the 9th day, the Doctor woke up on his sofa to the sound of arguing. Opening one eye nervously, he peeked around. He didn't want to be noticed and get embroiled in whatever argument Jackie and Rose were having. Better to pretend to be asleep.

"Why didn't you say last night? Just a days notice, maybe! I've got nothing to wear!"

The Doctor rolled his one open eye. In his opinion, no matter how perfect Rose was, she was just a _tad_ obsessed with clothes.

"Well I forgot didn't I! I'm not perfect! Anyway, it's not that big a deal, it's only Cardiff…."

"Mum, it's a capital! There's going to be lots of people! And don't insult Cardiff, the Doctor does that enough for all of us."

Getting the vague gist that they might be going to Cardiff that day, the Doctor pretended to wake up with an over the top yawn. "Hold on, what's all this about?"

Rose shot a look over at the Doctor. "Mum's just announced that we're going to a pantomime today in Cardiff. Apparently one of her favourite singers is in it, John Barryman or something……"

"_Barrowman._" Jackie emphasised, folding her arms over her chest.

"Well what's the big deal then?" The Doctor asked, sitting up sleepily.

"Well she never told us, did she! You might have got something planned today!"

"But I don't…"

"That's not the point!" Rose retorted. "And besides, I've got nothing to wear! And I need to wash my hair…. Grrr!" She glared at her mother, still grumbling as she stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door closed.

The Doctor looked over at Jackie. "Guess the bathroom's taken then."

Some time later, Rose appeared in the kitchen, her wet hair hanging loose over her shoulders, still fuming as she shoved a piece of toast into the toaster. The Doctor and Jackie sat at the kitchen table, Jackie making a list of things they needed to take as she sipped a mug of tea, the Doctor wrestling with the newspaper as he tried to get to the sports section. "Typical man" Rose thought, trying to hide her smile. She was in a bad mood and nothing would make her laugh. However, she eventually gave in when the Doctor huffed, pulled out his sonic screwdriver, attempted to cut the section out with that and ended up chopping the whole newspaper up into hundreds of tiny strips, covering the table, the floor and the Doctor himself. She snorted here as she sat down at the table next to him. The Doctor gave her a reproving look, but saw the funny side of the situation himself eventually, and gave her a lopsided grin.

They arrived in Cardiff a mad train ride later, during which Rose still refused to talk to her mother, and the Doctor was left trying to act as a go between, but eventually gave in and tried to count how many languages he could say "The train arrives at Cardiff Central at 11:54". It was actually amazing how many he really could say it in.

When they got off the train, Jackie announced that she was going to go off and do some shopping and would leave the two to themselves as she "needed to be on her own", as she said herself with a mysterious voice. Guessing they weren't wanted, the Doctor and Rose were left standing in a cold busy street as Jackie disappeared off into the heavy mist, calling out "I'll meet you at 1:30 for lunch, and don't be late!"

Turning to Rose, still grumpy, the Doctor held out his hand. "Come on," he said, ever optimistic, "let's see how many bars we can get chucked out of before we meet your mother again."

The next few hours were spent ambling round the Welsh capital, getting chucked out of bars and trying on outlandish Christmas hats with flashing lights that burbled a very flat version of "We wish you a Merry Christmas".

True to their word, the Doctor and Rose were at the appointed meeting place bang on 1:30, but was Jackie anywhere to be seen? Oh no. Twenty seven minutes and thirty one seconds later, precisely (as counted by the Doctor), she turned up, huffing, and armed with several huge bags, which she dumped on the Doctor as soon as she reached them, resulting in the Doctor disappearing under the pile of plastic bags for several moments before resurfacing, wobbling dangerously as he tried to hold them all. They had a quick lunch before Jackie set off again, leaving some of the bags with the disgruntled Doctor, under strict orders to "NOT OPEN THEM".

They met up again just as the street lights were turning on and the now very irate Doctor and Rose were sheltering under a shop entrance, nervously eying a nearby street artist, coated entirely in silver and with enormously long legs, silently wobbling around and making funny faces at passers by. Jackie turned up once more with armfuls of bags, but this time the Doctor stepped back as she approached, and so Rose was the one who had to help her mother with her cargo. Still, Jackie was beaming widely, excited by the thought of seeing her idol in a short while, and hurried on ahead of the struggling two, leading the way towards the theatre.

Even the Doctor had to concede that the pantomime was very good. Actually, it was hilarious. They watched the fabled pantomime cow prance around the stage and the infamous John Barrowman (who both Rose and the Doctor thought looked just like someone they knew, but couldn't for the life of them remember who it was), who Jackie watched with a picture of perfect happiness on her face and gave a little sigh every now and then.

Half way through, the Doctor caught sight of a little child to his right waving around a luminous stick and couldn't understand why she was so pleased with it; it was just a glowing tube, and why would you want that when you could make it sonic, just like his screwdriver, but his attempts to nick it and "improve" it failed when Rose saw that greedy look in his eyes, and arrested his hand firmly on the arm of the seat, glaring at him. When it ended, they all clapped loudly, and Rose was in such a good mood that she didn't mind when the Doctor whistled when the Princess came on to take her bow.

They walked slowly out of the auditorium, Jackie prattling on about how good John Barrowman had been, and were starting to amble along the street towards the station when the Doctor absentmindedly glanced at his watch and asked when the train left. "10:35" Jackie sighed, before launching into another speech about how wonderful John's boots had been, when the Doctor screeched "10:35!!??" and pulled Rose off at top speed towards the station, Jackie following in their wake, crying out "Slow down! We've got ages!"

At this, the Doctor spun round. "Ages? We've got two minutes!?"

Happily, they did catch the train just in time, arriving on the platform just as the claxon sounded before the doors closed, and they arrived at the doors of the train just as they slammed closed, but the Doctor and his trusty sonic screwdriver saved the day once again as he opened the door with a quick click of a switch and they jumped onto the train just as it started to move. Exhausted after her tiring days shopping, Jackie found some seats for them and sitting opposite the Doctor and Rose, fell asleep within seconds. The Doctor and Rose grinned at each other, and as the train left Cardiff and entered the dark countryside, Rose let her head fall onto the Doctor's shoulder.

"Rose?" He asked suddenly, not sure himself of how he was gong to phrase his next question.

"Yeah?" She asked, looking up at him.

"I – uh –" He didn't know what to say. "It's just, since we've come here to see your Mum and all, well… things have been different."

"Good different, or bad different?" She asked, smirking as she realised that he himself had said those very words not so long ago.

"Oh good, definitely, very good, fantastic. But.."

She prompted him to continue, hoping he couldn't hear how her heart was hammering in her chest.

"I wanted to know whether you mean anything by it."

"Of course I do." She raised her head from his shoulder so she could look at him properly.

"Then it's not just a bit of fun to you?"

"No! No. It's… it's not a bit of fun to you, is it?"

"No, no." He replied. How was it he could face an army of aliens without a trace of fear and yet one conversation with Rose could set him as on edge as if he was sitting on a ledge at the top of Mount Everest. "Then, do you..?"

"What?" She asked, feeling her cheeks burning.

"Do you.." he lowered his voice "_ care.. _for me."

Rose's eyes softened into deep pools of liquid chocolate, and her only answer was to slowly draw her head closer to his. Her eyes flicking from between his eyes to his lips, she drew closer still, until she could feel his cool breath on her cheek. She parted her lips, and infinitely slowly leaned towards him and gently brushed her lips against his. She drew back and looked at him for a moment, and deciding that his feelings were the same as hers, was leaning closer towards him once again when with a murmur and a shuffle, Jackie woke up.

Quickly turning round and sitting properly in her seat as if nothing had happened, despite the flush on her face, Rose gave her Mum a quick innocent smile before looking outside. Suddenly she saw the Doctor's reflection in the window. He was looking directly at her eyes in the reflection, and gave her the most unnoticeable smile and discreet wink. Smiling to herself, Rose settled back in her seat and closed her eyes. She smiled again as she felt a warm hand slip over her own and thread its fingers in hers, between their two seats.

"God, how I love Christmas", she thought.

**A/N** Ok, thinking about it, maybe I lied – when I went I didn't get chucked out of bars! Honest!! Hope you liked it and don't want to kill me for the delay, and there's only one way to tell me….


	10. 10th day: Pretty paper

**The tenth day: Pretty paper**

**A/N **Ok. Next time, I promise I'll come up with a good chapter name. Really. Well, two updates in one day, aren't you lucky!

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On the day before Christmas Eve, Rose and the Doctor were looking forward to going on a walk somewhere, away from Jackie, and enjoying some time together. They knew that they wouldn't be able to get any privacy from the next day, and so that this was their last chance before the chaos began, to simply be alone together, and explore the new feelings they had just uncovered to each other. Therefore, you can imagine their dismay when as they tried to sneak out of the flat, the Doctor somehow managed to jam his foot in the door, and howling loudly, alerted Jackie to the fact that they were trying to escape. Bustling out of her room, hairdryer in one hand and eyeliner in the other, she gave them a "where-exactly-do-you-think-you're-going-to" glare, and sheepishly, the two crept back into the flat, Rose not feeling at all sympathetic for the still in pain Doctor, who admittedly did look very apologetic.

"Don't even think you two are sneaking off anywhere today without my permission! I need your help! We've got tonnes of presents to wrap up and take round to the neighbours and everyone! You two are on duty until I say so – so quick march into the lounge and I'll bring you in everything."

Groaning, they trampled into the lounge, throwing off their coats and kicking off their shoes like moody teenagers, before sitting down with two resounding thumps on the sofa, arms folded across their chests. Jackie shook her head at them before disappearing off and returning with some of her cargo from the day before. After several trips to and from her room, she nodded happily at the humongous pile in front of the Doctor and Rose, almost hiding them from Jackie's view as she stood in front of it. "Right then – paper, there, scellotape, in the kitchen, and all of this needs to be wrapped up. There should be names on the bags for who everything's for – I want tags on them all, alright – and if there's not just give me a call." And with that she vanished off into her room to finish getting ready.

"What you doing today then, Mum?" Rose asked aggressively as she went to fetch the scellotape.

"Me? I'm having my nails done aren't I, and then I'm picking up the turkey! So I want Bev's present done before I go, I can drop it off on my way."

Sighing, Rose returned to the Doctor and set the scellotape down on the tape with a bang. "Right then, there's no way out. You cut the scellotape up and I'll wrap….."

Several hours later, after the Doctor had made Rose an apologetic present that was a wrapping paper heart with a bit of scellotape attached to it so she could stick it on her jumper, and several hundred presents had been wrapped up, they began to see the floor through the decreasing pile of presents. As Rose finished off, the Doctor went to find his secretly stashed away bag of presents, and whilst Rose was busily occupied with an interestingly shaped vase for the lady on the floor above them, quickly wrapped them up.

Then, of course, they had to deliver most of the presents. Carrying them all around the Powell Estate and surrounding area proved to be quite ridiculous, and so they "borrowed" a shopping trolley, and the Doctor motored this round whilst Rose ran up to doors and knocked on them, handed the present in with a smile and a quick chat, and then made her excuses and ran off with the Doctor towards the next point of call.

By the time they had finished, it was getting on into the evening, and Rose was unable to believe they'd spent all day wrapping presents up and delivering them. It really was stupid. They were wandering along with the trolley towards the Powell Estate, but they both didn't feel like going back to the flat yet, so instead they went down to the park. It was empty and dark, but this was just perfect for the two, who abandoned the trolley in a corner and went and sat on the swings together, the Doctor showing off as to how high he could swing before he nearly smashed his head on the bar at the top, and had to get off very quickly.

They were gently swaying to and fro, and were silent, just enjoying each other's company, when Rose noticed the full moon. She pointed it out to the Doctor and he grinned. "Just think, within a few days we'll be out there again, Rose. We'll be out amongst the stars."

Rose shivered. "I still can't quite believe it, that I've been out there and everything."

The Doctor looked at her. "Yeah. Neither can I."

Rose caught him looking at her and looked down. She looked up at him again as he lifted up her hand gently and pressed his lips to her knuckles. Feeling an overwhelming love and need for him bubble up inside of her, she shifted and went to sit on his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist. He shifted to accommodate her, before kissing her again, this time more passionately than before.

"Oh Rose –" He said, rubbing his nose against hers.

They were interrupted by a wolf whistle coming from two teenage boys riding their bikes towards the entrance to the flats. Parting, they looked around embarrassed, and slowly Rose got off his lap. "Come on," she said, smiling, "we'd better get back. Mum'll be wondering where we are. I bet she's got some other job for us to do."

It seemed Rose was right. As they entered the flat a few minutes later, they slammed the door behind them and were just taking off their coats when Jackie bustled into the hall, the phone pressed to her ear. "It's alright Sue, I've found the perfect person. I'll see you tomorrow." She pressed the end call button and beamed up at the Doctor. "You won't mind being Shepherd 3 in the nativity service tomorrow, will you?"

Rose's laughter rang out across London as the Doctor paled to a sheet and gaped like a goldfish.

**A/N** Haha – I've been planning that last bit since I started this story! Well, well, who'd have thought it? Shall I make him a natural actor, or shall we strike him with stage fright? Not sure yet… Aw, poor Doctor.


	11. 11th day:Shepherds watching their flocks

**The eleventh day: Shepherds watching their socks.. I mean flocks.. by night….**

**A/N** Whoops, sorry, got a bit carried away there. Yes, here we are – and I bet you've never read a fanfic like this before: The Doctor as Shepherd 3 in a nativity play! Wahoo! Remember, this is the penultimate part guys – and it's Christmas Eve…

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Rose sat in the little church, her fist balled up in her mouth to stop her raucous laughter from ringing round the holy place. It was Christmas Eve, and from the weatherman's words that morning on the BBC news, it looked like it might be a white Christmas.

The Doctor stood at the front of the church, with a face as black as thunder. He kept glaring at Rose every few moments, and Rose swore that if he kept squeezing the toy sheep tucked under his arm as hard as he was now then its head would pop off before long. The Doctor was wearing Howard's trusty dressing gown and a pair of clean pyjamas. He wore a tea towel with a tea stain on it on his head, tied up with a bit of string, and was clenching in his right hand a shepherd's crook, that had clearly been made for a young child, as it barely went up to the Doctor's thigh.

The morning went on and _on._ They ran through the play a couple of times, the Doctor becoming increasingly aggravated as the little children forgot their lines, and right at the point when the Angel Gabriel was about to announce the Good News to the three Kings, the little angel stepped forward with a red face to whisper that she "Needed to go toilet."

Finally, they finished rehearsing and the Doctor was able to storm over to where Rose was sitting and fling off the ridiculous tea towel. Rose was giggling at him, glad she could now finally let out her laughter.

"I don't even see why I have to be stupid Shepherd 3 anyway." The Doctor whined. "All I have to say is", he put on a high pitched voice, mimicking one of the infants, " 'Quick, let us hurry to Bethlehem to see the new born King.' It's pathetic."

Rose just shook her head as she continued to laugh at him. The Doctor looked fit to murder her, but her laughter only increased, especially when the lady in charge of the Sunday School hurried over to ask if he would mind wearing a felt beard, so as to be more in character. She held up the brown fluffy material and the Doctor felt as if his doom was being held in front of him. Rose, on the other hand, burst into peals of laughter that bounced off the rafters of the church.

Later on that evening, the Doctor was waiting in the wings of the church, where the lights were off as the cast waited for their cue for the nativity to begin. Rose was there, adjusting his beard and snorting with laughter every two minutes. Suddenly she noticed him fiddling with his miniature crook nervously, and craning his neck to look out at the crowd.

"Why Doctor, don't tell me you get stage fright?" She asked, a smile creeping onto her face.

He spun round in a flash. "No." He hissed. "It's just…." He turned back towards the audience. "There're a lot of people out there…."

"You'll be fine." She whispered, as the opening chords of "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" started, signalling the start of the nativity, and all the other little shepherds started to push the petrified looking Doctor towards the stage. "And if you're good and remember all your lines, I'll give you a Christmas kiss." Rose's tongue poked out of her mouth as she said this, grinning inwardly.

The Doctor had never acted so well in all his life.

When he came off at the end (to tumultuous applause, which the Doctor was convinced was all for him, despite the fact that the entire audience apart from Jackie and Rose was made up of proud parents and grandparents), he looked like the cat who got the cream. Smugly he sauntered over towards Rose, still waiting in the wings.

"Well?" He said, beaming.

"Very good." She conceded, bowing her head towards him. "Daniel Craig should watch his back."

"So…?"

She tried to stop grinning. "So what?"

He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Oh yes." She said in a mock realisation voice. "I almost forgot." She fingered his beard, imagining what he would look like with a real beard. Then her eyes darkened, and she looked mischievous as she reached for his tie.

Suddenly the Doctor stopped her, pointing up towards the ceiling. "Ah, but Rose, we're in a holy place. God sees everything."

Rose thought for a moment and then shrugged. "He can make exceptions. After all, it's Christmas."

He nodded. "True, true, I guess it is Christmas…."

He was cut off by Rose's smiling lips meeting his, as the two kissed in a dark corner of the church, surrounded by tinsel halos and a toy sheep.

And they were right, God did make an exception – for he loved Christmas too….

**A/N** R & R, s'il vous plaît!


	12. 12th day: Merry Christmas Everyone!

**The twelfth day: Merry Christmas Everyone!**

**A/N** Well, here it is, the long awaited final chapter. I hope you like it!

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The Doctor woke up on Christmas Day very slowly, stretching and yawning as his eyes got adjusted to the light. As soon as he sat up, he realised something was wrong. It took him a little while to realise what it was, but he suddenly remembered what was missing: noise. Britain's noisy capital was absolutely silent. Normally by now the trundle of traffic would be heard pouring in through the window, the honking of horns and general hustle and bustle of the British population getting ready for the new day.

However, today, London was silent. The Doctor frowned, shrugging on his dressing gown as he shivered. What was going on? Yawning again he went to the window, trying to remember what day it was today. 23rd? No, that was a couple of days ago. Drowsily, with his eyelids heavy from sleep, he fidgeted with the curtain over the window, getting in a general tangle with it. When he finally managed to get his head round it so he could look out at the world below, he realised in one jolt why it was so quiet.

The Powell Estate had never before in its life looked like a Christmas card, (in fact, no one would really describe any council estate in London as a Christmas card,) but today, it did. The world below was iced with snow, glittering gems that shone in the early morning sun. The ground was untouched with thick blankets of it; no one had been out to destroy the beauty of it yet, apart from a black bird who had hopped across by the bins earlier. Snowflakes frosted the rails of the flats and iced the frame of the swings in the playground that the Doctor could just see if he craned his neck really hard. The sky was thick and white above him, and he could see the soft outlines of silvery flakes still falling. Not a soul was out yet, and for that the Doctor was grateful, feeling slightly possessive that he alone could see this magical world before it was touched by human hands.

But the questions was, where was everyone? And then it dawned on him, just as he sprung away from the glass in shock as his nose touched the icy pane – it was Christmas Day.

Even when Rose was a child, Jackie had never had as much trouble and as much a hurried awakening as she did that Christmas morning. She was awoken by the delighted cry of a 900 going on 9 Time Lord currently residing on her sofa, who presently burst into her room, beaming away crying "Happy Christmas Jackie! Come on, get up, you must come and see the snow!"

"Snow?" She asked grouchily, wearily raising her head from her pillow, but the Doctor had already gone before he could answer her, whizzing off to go and wake up Rose, asleep in the next room.

"Rose! Rose! Wake up lazy bones, it's Christmas!"

"What is it?" Rose awoke with a start, springing up immediately, the instincts to be always aware and ready for danger carefully instilled in her by the Doctor springing into action. "Doctor, what's going on?"

He smiled at her affectionately as he hurried over to her side. "Happy Christmas, Rose!" He murmured, tucking that strand of hair that always crept out behind her ear like clockwork.

"Christmas?" She asked, rubbing her eyes. Then realisation crept up on her too, and she grinned. "It's Christmas Day!" She beamed, as she used the Doctor as leverage to get up, and then pulled him off out of her room.

Jackie, just falling back into the inviting realms of sleep was suddenly noisily awoken yet again, but this time not just by the Doctor but by Rose and "himself", as he was called. The two burst into the room, and before Jackie had time to open an eye Rose had threw herself on her mum, crying "Happy Christmas Mum! Come and see the snow!"

"I don't care about the snow!" Jackie begrudgingly cried, her voice muffled in Rose's shoulder, but they wouldn't take no for an answer, and Jackie soon found herself being pulled out into the lounge and thrust against the window.

After admiring the snow for a while, the Doctor looked over at the clock. "Blimey, look at the time. Come on Jackie, you better get going in the kitchen. Mickey'll be over before you know it, what time did you say he was coming?"

Jackie threw him a dirty look, and then disappeared into the kitchen for a moment. Returning, the Doctor was shocked when an old, damp, stained and torn tea towel was thrown into his face. "I'm not your personal slave, you know." Jackie glared. Looking at Rose and the Doctor she pointed into the kitchen. "You two, out there, helping. Doctor you look like a man who can prepare sprouts."

It seemed that Jackie was not wrong in her swift analysis of the Doctor's cooking skills. He was "the man" for sprouts, and some time later, admittedly with several more cuts on his hands than previously, and with one or two mutilated sprouts secretly disposed of in the bin without Jackie noticing, the Doctor was proudly standing beside a bowl of freshly prepared sprouts. However, there was no respite, as Jackie, pleased by his prowess on the vegetable preparing field, thrust bag after bag of potatoes, carrots, broccoli, peas, cauliflower etc at him until he pleaded for mercy as he sagged by the sink, sweating profusely.

Rose and Jackie had spent the morning doing the turkey, which proved to be much more difficult than previously imagined. You would never have thought that such a thing could create so much havoc, but havoc it did indeed cause, so much so that at about 12 o'clock, when Mickey rang the bell, sporting a brand new hand knitted jumper in a garish colour from his aunt in Yorkshire, he was answered by the Doctor in a ridiculous apron showing the body of a saucy lady in very few clothes, and a huge cloud of smoke that billowed out of the flat, making him cough and fight for breath.

Finally, all four of them, Jackie, Mickey, Rose and the Doctor, sat down for a beautiful Christmas dinner, albeit with a slightly, charred turkey. As the Doctor placed Rose's party hat on her head with a boyish grin, he was reminded of a very similar scene a year ago that day, when the same four sat around the same table, shortly after his regeneration. Since that day, many things had happened – his bond with Rose had got stronger (if it was possible), they had encountered many more dangers, but essentially they were the same; a Time Lord and his female companion; best friends through thick and thin who could talk to each other about anything apart from the one thing they most wanted to talk about – their feelings for the other. However, today the Doctor intended to change that. They had already made good headway the other day on the train back from Cardiff, but he was going to make the final step today. It was only a matter of when.

After dinner, they did the washing up, somehow managing to fit all four of them in the kitchen with all the cooking things and plates they'd used over dinner. The Doctor, dressed in his lovely apron once again, was at the sink with Mickey, both singing loudly and flicking large bubbles at each other as the sink threatened to overflow with the amount of fairy liquid that had been poured into it. Rose was laughing as she did the wiping up, joined by Jackie who was rather gingerly looking at her best china and plates as the Doctor and Mickey carelessly handled them, dunking them into the soapy water and pulling them out again after a quick wash and then shoving them onto the precarious pile that was next to the sink.

Finally they were all able to sit down in the lounge, and exchange presents. Mickey had bought some perfume for Rose, some jewellery for Jackie, and a book on football for the Doctor, a thoughtful gift as the Doctor was heavily aware that if he was going to be spending as much time on Earth as he was currently doing for the future, he was going to have to get to grips with human's favourite game sometime soon. Jackie's gift for the Doctor was a complete shock and surprise to both Rose and the Doctor – it was a key for the flat, as as Jackie pointed out with a nonchalant and noncommittal shrug of her shoulders "It really does look like you're here to stay now, so you might as well have your own keys so you don't have to bother me every time you want to come a-visiting." The Doctor was really touched by this; it showed that Jackie had finally accepted he wasn't going anywhere, and had embraced him into the Tyler family as one of them, and he was really grateful for that.

Rose's gift for him was even more special. Blushing, she handed it over carefully, muttering that "It really was rubbish, and he wouldn't like it, and that it was nothing important, and how embarrassed she was now she hadn't done anything more special." However, the Doctor silenced her murmurs as he carefully ripped the paper open, and revealed a red leather covered book. Opening it interestedly, he was immediately confronted by two photos; the first being a picture of the old him and Rose leaning against a railing in front of a beautiful alien beach, the two sun's beating down on their backs and the silver sea glittering in the background. He felt tears spring to his eyes as he remembered that day, and all of a sudden he was there, in the picture, reliving the moment the shot had been taken by a kindly alien. They had been so happy, having spent the day cavorting around on the beach and in the sea, and he knew that the people in the photo were just about to go off in search of chips on this foreign planet, and would eventually end up at the best chip shop they had discovered yet in the galaxy.

The second picture was of the new him with Rose again, this time at Christmas a year ago. It had been taken on Boxing Day evening, when the Doctor, exhausted after miming charades for the last hour and a half had collapsed on the sofa next to Rose, and was leaning against her shoulder. They looked perfectly relaxed and peaceful together, as if they completed each other entirely.

And they did, the Doctor thought, as he flicked through the album in wonderment. He soon realised what Rose's present was; a photo album of all their adventures, with little anecdotes and comments by Rose in her neat writing on the sides. There they were, on Justicia; there in Ancient Rome, he remembered her face when she saw him in that outfit, she couldn't believe it; there with Jack in Japan, Rose sporting a dazzling kimono and Jack's hand draped rather too close to Rose's chest for the Doctor's comfort, but he knew Jack well, and could forgive him easily for the offence. The whole book was crammed full with pictures both of the old him and new him, and he knew how much effort Rose had put into making it. As he finally closed it, he looked up at Rose, who was nervously chewing her lip as she sat back on her heels on the carpet by the coffee table.

"So?" She asked. Then, she rushed "I knew you wouldn't like it, I knew it was just silly, but-"

"Rose?" He said, stopping her mid flow. "I love it." He smiled before reaching across and enveloping her in an affectionate hug. "I'll treasure it forever." He pulled away, looking confused. "But there is one thing I want to know – when did you take that picture of me sleeping?"

She looked guilty for a moment and then turned mischievous, giving him a wicked grin and look as she squirmed out of his reach.

The Doctor's presents were next; first, the chocolates for Jackie, which went down a treat – since their return, Rose had spent many a night sitting in front of the television, watching some period drama or chic flick, the Doctor at her side as ever, making the odd disapproving comment (or at one point, Rose even noticed a tear slipping down his face at the end of "Titanic"), and generally eating Jackie out of house and home with her chocolates she reserved for such an occasion. So, Jackie was very pleased to receive her gift, even if the Doctor had left the price tag on, but thanked him graciously and gave him a kiss for his troubles. Slightly worried, the Doctor handed his present to Mickey over as he rubbed vigorously at his cheek. Mickey too, was pleased with his present, and immediately began to read it, starting bang in the middle of the thick volume.

Finally, of course, was Rose. However, the Doctor didn't want to give her her present in front of everyone, he wanted a bit of privacy, mainly because he wanted to bare himself as he had never done before in front of anyone, and show her his true feelings for her. So, taking her hand he pulled her up to her feet, smiling at the innocently confused expression on her face. "C'mon," he said, "there's something I want to show you."

Smiling, she followed him to the door and as the Doctor led her out, she glanced round at her mum and Mickey, the latter of which was emitting low wolf whistles. Glaring at them, she made a swift cutting motion with her hand at Mickey, who grinning, shut up. Turning round, she watched as the Doctor closed the door on the flat and turned round to her.

"You're not cold are you?" He asked her nervously.

Rose drew her jumper around her, blinking her eyes against the soft flakes of snow that were falling thick and fast. "Might be in a mo." She said, beaming. As he made to take his coat off, she stopped him. "No, I'll be fine. What is it you want to show me then?"

Slowly, the Doctor reached into one of the voluminous pockets of his coat and pulled out a little black box. Handing it over to Rose, he stood there waiting for her to open it, his hearts thudding in his chest.

Turning it over, Rose found the catch and opened it slowly to reveal, nestled inside a pool of silvery grey silk, a piece of coral like rock. Rose recognised it immediately; it was made of the same thing as the inside of the Tardis was. Looking up at the Doctor, she lifted it up, realising it was on a chain. "What is it?" She asked, turning it over in her hands.

"It's part of the Tardis. Part of my home planet, Gallifrey." He said, his eyes soft and beseeching. "Wherever you are Rose, whether it's in this universe or another one, this will draw you towards me, and we'll always be able to find each other. You'll never get lost again."

"So it's a tagging device?" She said mischievously, that tongue of hers beginning to poke out of her mouth again.

"No! Well, sort of, I guess, but it's more than that. Rose, that is the last piece of Gallifrey. The rest of it is blown to smithereens, ashes that will burn forever. All that's left of my people, our culture, our home, is myself, that blue box down there we call home and that rock." Stepping closer to her, he took the rock and put it gently around her neck, then took her hands in his and turning them over to study her palms, began to speak again.

"Rose, I'm not one to make speeches."

She snorted, and the Doctor looked up at her, grinning, before snapping his head back down.

"Well, maybe I am, but I'm not one for making speeches about the heart."

Rose sobered at once, feeling as if nothing in the word existed except herself and the Doctor.

"I can't give you security. I can't give you a promise that you'll be with me forever, for that's just not possible for us. Some time will come when you'll be gone, and I'll have to go on and live my life, alone. And, I'm prepared for that," he said, as Rose started to interject. "It's what all Time Lords suffer. An almost immortal life, eh. Funny that the one thing humans have spent their entire lives trying to accomplish is actually the one thing all Time Lords spend their lives trying to get around, for the actual ability of it is nothing compared to the pain it brings with it." He shook his head, realising he was going off track. "Anyway, what was I saying?"

"You can't give me security." Rose prompted softy.

"Oh yes. I can't give you all of that which you would normally expect, dutifulness, obedience etc. But," he finally looked up from her hands and when his eyes met hers, she knew what he was going to say even before he said it. "I can give you myself, for that's all that I have. All that I am, myself, that box down there and that rock around your neck, is yours. And always will be," he added, just for extra effect.

Rose bit her lip, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. So much for not being able to make speeches about the heart, she thought. "Well then," she said, looking up at him. "I guess I'll just have to take what I can."

The Doctor let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and squeezed her hands tight as he smiled. Reaching a hand out to gently slide under her hair and around the side of her face, he tilted her head towards him and leaned down to kiss her.

Suddenly the moment was broken by loud hoots and bangs against a window, and the two spun round to see Jackie and Mickey pressed up against the window of the flat, lit up with fairy lights and the glow coming from the Christmas tree, having watched the whole scene, now cheering the couple and grinning at them widely.

"Oh, shut up," Rose said, smiling, as she turned around and was met by the Doctor's lips, kissing her softly as he brought his other hand up to hold her to him.

As the two kissed on the landing of that flat and the snow continued to fall about them, glittering through the dark expanse of sky and heaven, so we leave them. They may not have forever, but they have each other, and that's all they need.

Besides a little bit of Christmas magic to help them along….

**A/N** Well, there we have it. It's over, the story that's gone on for around three months! Thank you to all my reviewers and readers who have stayed with me, despite the long waits, and I hope you enjoyed it. At this point, I should say Happy Christmas, but it was rather a long time ago now. Ah well, who cares – Happy Christmas for then, and I hope you enjoy the rest of 2007!


End file.
